In general cases, after connecting with a computer, a data processing device will exchange data with the computer. There are different processes of data exchanging depending on whether the data processing device is plug_and_play or not.
If the data processing device is plug_and_play, the process of data exchanging is as following: The operation system of the computer auto-checks whether there is plug_and_play device during the system start, if a new device is found and there's a *.inf file of such kind device in the direction INF of the operating system (INF is the abbreviation of Device INFormation File, and is one kind of file format provided for the manufacturer of hardware device publishing his driver program. The INF file includes the information of hardware device or script to control operation of hardware. The INF file specifies how to install the hardware driver into the system, where the initializing file is, to which folder installed is and how to add self-corresponding information into register and so on. Monitor, modem, printer and some like these kinds of devices are through INF file to install.) of the operation system, then the computer auto-installs driver program, else the computer will start the hardware guide to prompt user to select or search driver program of the device, i.e. the corresponding *.inf file, then the hardware guide will copy the specified file to corresponding direction according to the content of the *.inf file, and write corresponding information to register to finish installing of the driver program of the device. After finishing installation, setting the attribute of the device is necessary. For example, before using a network card, the network protocol must be installed and set; before using modem to access network, “new connection” must be built firstly, and so on. And then the operation system of the computer starts to exchange data with the device. The user manually starts corresponding application program or perform operation of the device and exchange data with the computer to realize the fixed function.
If the data processing device is not plug_and_play, the process of data exchanging is as following: The operation system of the computer can not auto-check the device during the system start and the user need to start the hardware guide for installation directly and manually. If there's not the corresponding *.inf file in the direction INF, the computer will start the hardware guide to prompt user to select or search driver program of the device, i.e. the *.inf file. The hardware guide will copy the specified file to corresponding direction according to the content of the *.inf file and write corresponding information to register to finish installing of the driver program of the device. After finishing installation, the attribute of the device is set. For example, before using a network card, the network protocol must be installed and set; before using modem to access network, “new connection” must be built firstly, and so on. And then the computer starts to exchange data with the device. The user manually starts corresponding application program or perform operation of the device and exchange data with the computer to realize the fixed function.
In the prior art, some problems existed in the method for data processing device exchanging data with computer: 1) If the driver program of some kind data processing device have not be embedded in the operation system, then the user must manually install the driver program of the device and the process of the operation is complicated. 2) Although the standard driver program of some kind data processing device has been installed in the operation system, but if the user need to use the substandard driver program of the device, then the user also must manually install the substandard driver program. 3) After finishing installing the driver program of data processing device, the user also demands to set relational device parameters of some special devices to make the normal use of the devices. This also causes the complicated process of operation. 4) When using the data processing device to attain definite application function, the user must start relative application manually. This also causes the discommodious operation. 5) It's unable to achieve as expected that some software stored can be executed directly when data processing device is connected to the computer according to the method of prior art.